Don Valley Community Legal Services -THORNCLIFFE PARK

Staff Lawyer (Housing) Position

Don Valley Community Legal Services (“DVCLS”) is a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid . DVCLS provides free, clinic law services to persons of modest income in the areas of housing, immigration and refugee, employment and income maintenance. We are located in , and our catchment area is bounded by Lake Ontario on the South to /401 on the North, and from Yonge Street/ on the West to Victoria Park Avenue on the East.

DVCLS is seeking a junior to mid-level lawyer to join our housing team on a full-time, one- year contract with the potential for permanency. The candidate will provide legal advice and representation to tenants primarily at the Landlord and Tenant Board, with some appellate level litigation. The candidate will also collaborate with DVCLS’s community partners to provide public legal education seminars and workshops, and participate in law reform initiatives and community development projects for our community.

The anticipated start date is June 2021.

Qualifications:

 A lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario  1 - 3 years of demonstrated legal experience representing parties before the Landlord and Tenant Board, and with drafting applications, motions and reviews  Working knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Housing Services Act, 2011  Strong legal and advocacy skills, written and oral communication skills  Excellent Word, Excel, Microsoft Outlook and internet research skills  Ability to collaborate and work as a team with other lawyers, paralegals and support staff  Ability to handle a full caseload, meet tight deadlines, maintain accuracy and attention to detail with minimal supervision  Demonstrated commitment to working from an anti-oppression and social justice framework  Experience working with a diverse range of clients from low-income and marginalized groups, including and in particular clients with mental health challenges  Ability to diffuse tense situations and to assist people in crisis in a calming and helpful manner

1 Le aside Park Drive, Unit 1, Toron·t o, 0 N M 4 H 1 R 1

Tel: (416) 441-1764 Fax: (416) 441-0269 donvalleylegal.ca  Ability to prepare and present public legal education seminars and workshops to the community using plain English  Ability to work both remotely or in the office

Assets:

• Experience litigating at the appellate level • General knowledge of or experience in other areas of clinic law services, or with provincial and municipal powers that target or disproportionately affect low-income or marginalized people • Familiarity with the Legal Aid Ontario Clinic Information Management System (“CIMS”) • Familiarity with resources and agencies in DVCLS’s community • Knowledge of a second language pertinent to serving DVCLS’s catchment area • Experience in media relations, outreach, lobbying, networking, event organizing or stakeholder engagement

Remuneration:

 Salary Range: $70,000.00 to 75,000.00, based on year of call, experience and qualifications  Participation in DVCLS’s group health and dental plan

Applications:

Applications must include a resume, cover letter, contact information for two references and a writing sample of up to five pages (opinion letter, research memo, factum etc.)

Applications may be submitted by email to [email protected], by fax or by mail, and should be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

The deadline for applications is 5:00 PM on May 14, 2021. We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

As an employer, DVCLS is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of our clients and the communities we serve. This includes diversity in languages spoken, culture, race, sexual orientation and gender identity. We encourage applications from individuals from diverse, marginalized and racialized communities and backgrounds. DVCLS promotes the principles of anti-oppression and adheres to the tenets of Ontario’s Human Rights Code. Please let us know if you have any accommodation needs regarding the submission of your application.

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